Week 2 Day 5

"What is love? Can the child within my heart rise above?...Well I've been afraid of changes 'cause I built my life around you."

These words from the song "Landslide" rang through my head this morning as we finished building our house this morning. After applying a merrigold color to the inside walls, a deep umber to the exterior, roof, window, and door, I can know say that I know what love is. As we passed the family the key to the house, likely the first key they have ever had, I felt such an overpowering emotion sweeping through the room. Our love for our new amigas of the family, the parents love for their children, and a mutual love in Christ moved me to the bones. I fought back tears as Taylor presented the key and Oscar, an employee of Houses to Homes, presented the family with a plaque. The children of this house, Marissa, Emma, Emmaline, and Jenny will never be forgotten, and they will forever hold a place in our hearts. We have helped to build a new life for this family, with something as simple as six gringos, two Guatemalan workers, a few tools, and A LOT of cement. I think I speak for all of us, when I say that they built a new life for us too. We will take with us their easygoing manner, unceasing smiles, and undying gratitude.

One of the highlights of the morning was the Coca-Cola we were each given as we painted. Sipping on Coke out of a glass bottle while we worked could not have been any more refreshing. The family later made us a wonderful lunch, a nice break from our usual American PB&J's. We enjoyed chili (basically a spicy salsa), noodles, fried chicken, cucumber salad, and tortillas as we watched kickboxing on the next door neighbor's tv. As the house finally became a home,we gave the family food and toys for their new home and they presented us with a beautiful, homemade tablecloth that we will put to good use back at St. Andrew. What seemed to be the favorite part of the day for all of the Guatemalans was the pinata we brought. Our group and the family looked on as the girls and their father took swings. However, as soon as it was cracked people (many we had never seen before) swooped into the house like it was Black Friday at Wal-Mart. Everyone, even the mother with Emmaline tied to her back, were generously shoving candy into aprons and shirts.

After the celebration was over, we bid farewell to the family and started on our next house. In typical fashion we headed over in the back of a truck. Fred pointed to the mountain face and where the family's house used to be, and once again, "Landslide" played in my head. The family's house was built by St. Andrew a few years back but was destroyed recently in a landslide. As Stevie Nicks sings, "Maybe the landslide will bring you down." We would be re-building it but more securely. This would be time-comsuming, but the biggest monster we had to face was it's strategic placing on the side of a mountain. As we carried buckets of rocks and dirt to the house site it felt like a climb of a 90 degree angle. The children were really helpful and were eager to do as much as they could to assist. However, as the rumble of the storm clouds got closer and signalled the end of the work day, we looked like the living dead. We certainly will have our work cut out for us for the rest of the days. But maybe if we take our love, and take it down, climb a moutain, and turn around, we will see the reflection of all the love we have encountered in past few days. After all, that is what's it all about.

Viva la Vida,

Olivia